EDUCATION
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18 private schools with bought places operated under contracts with the government which specify improvements in areas such as whole-day operation, class structure, teacher qualifications and school facilities. The contracts will expire in the year 2001, unless terminated earlier by either party, or when a school joins the DSS.
The Legislative Framework
Any institution offering education to 20 or more students in a day, or to eight or more students at any one time, must operate in accordance with statutory requirements. School operations (including kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and commercial institutions) are governed by the Education Ordinance (Chapter 279), which provides for the registration of schools, teachers and managers, and for compulsory attendance by children between the ages of six and 15. The Education Regulations cover matters including health and safety requirements, fees and charges, and teacher qualifications.
The Vocational Training Council Ordinance covers technical colleges, technical institutes, training centres, and skills centres for the disabled. The Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance covers institutions offering post-secondary courses outside the tertiary sector. Two important statutory bodies with a quality control role are the Hong Kong Examinations Authority and the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation. The Education Scholarships Fund Ordinance provides for the administration of many scholarships donated by members of the public.
The Non-Local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance was enacted on July 18, 1996. It seeks to establish a legislative framework for regulating the standards of courses delivered in Hong Kong by non-local institutions of higher education or professional bodies which lead to the award of non-local qualifications. It offers a measure of consumer protection to people undertaking such courses. Detailed operation of the regulatory regime and the appeal procedures will be provided in subsidiary legislation made under the ordinance, which will come into effect in 1997.
The Government's Role
The Secretary for Education and Manpower, who heads the Education and Manpower Branch of the Government Secretariat, formulates and reviews education policy, secures funds in the government budget, liaises with the Legislative Council on educational issues, and oversees the effective implementation of educational programmes.
The Director of Education, who heads the Education Department, implements educational policies at kindergarten, primary and secondary levels. She directly manages all government schools and the Curriculum Development Institute.
The main responsibilities of the Education Department include the provision and allocation of public sector school places to pupils entering the primary, junior secondary, senior secondary and sixth form levels; provision of facilities for children with special educational needs; developing school curricula; monitoring teaching standards; and administering the public funding to schools. The department also contributes to policy development and review.